Separating-machine



(No Model.)

A. REINE.

SBPARATING MACHINE. No. 465,574. Patented Deo. 22.1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUST HEINE, OF SILVER CREEK, NEV YORK.

SEPARATING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 465,574, dated December 22, 1891.

Application tiled April 3, 1891. Serial No. 387,524. (No model.)

TU LZZ whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, AUGUST HEINE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Silver Creek, in the county of Chautauqua and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Separating Machines, ot' which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a separating-machine suitable for purifying middlings and other substances, and which comprises an inclosmg case and an air-circulating device arranged within the case, whereby the body of air contained in the case is kept in circulationwithout drawing in air from the outside or discharging air from the case, so that the material which is fed into the case is separated into different grades by an air-current which takes up the light material and after depositing the same is again brought in contact with fresh material to be separated.

The object of this invention is to increase the efficiency of this class ot machines by lengthening the time during which the material is subjected to the separating action of the air-current, and to provide means for nicely regulating the action of the air-current.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a sectional elevation of myimproved machine. F1'g.2 is a cross-section in line mx, Fig. l. Fig. 3 1s a horizontal section in line y y, Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of a portion of the air-circulating device on an enlarged scale.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents the case of the machine, which consists, essentially, of sidewalls a, front wall a, rear wall d2, and a closed top a3.

B represents the feed-hopper, arranged in the upper front portion of the case, and provided in its discharge-opening with a feedroller b.

D. D D2 represent a series of inclined shelves arranged underneath the feed-hopper and upon which the middlings or other. material to be separated are delivered by the hopper. These shelves incline downwardly with their rear ends, and their elevated front ends are arranged at some distance from the front wall a.

E represents an elongated fan or air-circulator, whereby the body of air contained in the case is caused to circulate in the same without admitting or discharging air. This fan consists, essentially, of an endless belt or apron F, arranged vertically in rear of the inclined shelves and provided with a series of transverse blades f. The upper portion oi the belt passes around a roller G, arranged transversely in t-he upper portion of the case and provided with annular flanges g g, which hold the belt against lateral displacement.

Il represents a roller supporting the lower portion of the belt and made somewhat smaller in diameter than the upper roller. The lower roller is preferably arranged with its front side underneath the front side of the upper roller, so that the front portion of the belt travels upwardly in a vertical line, while the rear or returning portion inclines from the upper roller forwardly to the lower roller. The blades of the fan arel composed of slats or strips secured "to the outer side of the belt in any suitable manner.

l represents curtains or flaps, whereby the middlings and dust are prevented from collecting on the fan-blades and belt. Each of these curtains extends across the entire space between two fan-blades, and is secured with its front or advancing edge to the base of one blade, while its rear or retreating end is secured to the outer edge ofthe next succeeding blade, thereby forming a flexible incline from the base of each blade to the top of the succeeding blade. The length of the curtains from blade to blade is such that when the fanblades pass from one roller to the other onthe straight portion of the belt the curtains are loose and wrinkled; but when the blades pass around the periphery of the rollers, where the outer edges of the blades diverge radially, the curtains are drawn taut.` Dust or other material collecting upon the loose curtains during the upward passage thereof is dislodged by the sudden stretching or tightening of the curtains as they pass around the upper roller. The ends of the belt are preferably secured together by placing them between two adjoining blades and clamping these two blades to- IOO downwardly. The belt carries the adjacent portion ot' the air with it in the direction in which it moves, and so causes an ascending current to travel in a straight line upwardly between the front portion of the belt and the inclined shelves. The distance through which this current moves upwardly and the time during which the descending material is exposed to the action of the air-current depends upon thelength of the belt,and can be extended as far as necessary to effect the desired separation while keeping the size of the separatingrollers as small as is consistent with the easy movement of the belt. The effective upright portions of the fan are thereby proportionately lengthened, and the ineffective curved top and bottom portions are correspondingly shortened, thereby rendering .this fan muph more efficient than a circular fan. middli-ngs or other material to be separated are falling from the top shelf D through `the space between the shelves and the front portion of the bel-t they encounter the upward spout VJ.

front edges thereof into e discharge-passage J formed between the front wall a and the front ends of the shelves. The still lighter particles are driven by the air current through the space between the top shelf D andthe 'next lower shelf D and are discharged through a spout J 2, while the lightest particles are driven over the top of the fan into the:

rear portion of the inelosing oase.

L .represents partitions, arranged vertically adjustment toward and from the fan, When the rear ends of the shelves are adj usted elosely to the fen, the blast of eir delivered bythe latter is more effective and lifts a heavier of material, while the airfcurrentis weaker when the shelves are arranged at a greater distance from the fan, and consequently less eble to lift heavy materiel- Z represents a vent formed in the wall sepa.- rating the spout J from the spout J', and through which any tine dust which rises in the spout J may escape into the spout J. The roller supporting the upper portion of the fan-belt is arranged at some distance belour the top of the case, so as to leave a space between the top of the case and the upper portion of the fan-belt passing around the up.. per supporting-roller. The lightest impurities and line dust raised above the uppermost shelf bythe upward ,current are carried over the top of the fan and into a settling-chamber l W111i@ the M, formed between the rear side of the `fan and the rear wall of the case,

N represents a valve whereby the grade of material carried by the fan into this settlingchamber is regulated. This Valve is arranged transversely across the space in the upper lportion of :the case above the front portion of the upper roller and is pivoted in the side .Walls so that it can be tilted. When thelower edge of the valve is arranged closely to the fan-blades, the light particles are compelled to pass over the upper edge of the valve before they can enter the settling-chamber. Upon tilting the valve so that its lower edge recedes from the fan and its upper edge descends, as indicated in dotted lines., .the light particles ere not compelled to rise so bien in order to enter the setti-ing --elialnbea and a (parser .erede o f material is permit-tee to pnssin-te the settling-enemies'.

O represents a spent arranged at :the lower end of the settling-sharper for discharging the .d 11st ,eolie-.ered in the letter.

P represents guard plates or shields arranged along the rear side of the fan.,-wl1ere -by the @leseendlns eir-enrrent .is -.elesely een..- :ned to the bel-t and prevented .rorn esi-tering .the .nir and .dust .in the settlifng-ollamb-er These plaies ere arranged olesely to the rear port-ion of the fen and entende-.om the npper portion of the letter to the dischargespont of the settlngfehalnber- Each sperdplazte extends entirely 'aeross the settlingoharnber, enti `its lower end overhangs the np.- per end of the plate nest below., so as to :leave n transverse spose or .slot 1e between the adjacent .ends of the plates,- The dust `,or .other liebt impurities -Whieh Y may adhere to the z returning portion of the fan-.belt are thrown s .by Centrifugal toreo against these plates and between ther shelves and partly elosine; the passages between the same, `thereby preyentl essere through the .slots p into the .settlingehamber. Thelower portion ofthe Case between the diselrersefspout for the pured middlinss and ille discharge-.spout for the linst in the settling-.chamber is elnsed by n bottom q, arranged closely to the lower portion of. the .fan and eoneenirio therewith.

B represents .e driving-pulley secured to one end of the shaft of the uppersnpportingroller, and fr is a smaller pulley .seonred to the .opposite end .0f seid shaft fordri-ving .the feed.- roller by a cross-belt S.

I .elnini es my inventiond 1 The combinationnyith an inclosing case provided with an inlet for the material :to be separated and with outlets for the separated materials, of an upright traveling belt or apron arranged with lits ascending .Side below said inlet and having its ascending side separated from the inclosing case by an air space, through which the air is caused Ito move upwardly in a straight current by said belt or apron and through which the material :t0 be separated descends, substantially as set forth.

2- The eornbinetiomwith 1211einclosing. ease and the endless traveling belt or apron pro- IOC IIO

vided With Wings on its face, of oblique ilexible curtains secured with their outer ends to said Wings and with their inner ends to the belt or apron, substantially as set forth.

The combination, with the'inclosin g case and a vertical air-circulator arranged within the same, of a feeder arranged above the as- @ending side of the air-circulator, a discharge for the heavy material, arranged at the foot of the ascending side of the air-circulator, a discharge for lighter material, arranged opposite the ascending side of the air-circulator, and a discharge for the lightest material, arranged on the descending side of theair-circulator, substantially as set forth.

et. The combinatiomwith the inclosing case and a vertical air-circulator arranged Within the same, of a feeder arranged above the ascendingsideof the air-circulator, and a series of discharge-passages for the material elevated bythe air-current, arranged one above the other opposite the ascending side of the air-circulator, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the inclosin g case and an endless air-circulator arranged Within the same, of inclined shelves facing the ascending side of the air-circulator and separated by spaces which communicate at their outer ends with a discharge for the material which is driven through these spaces by the ascending air current, substantially as set forth.

G. Thecombination,with the inclosing case and an endless ai r-circulator arranged Within the same, of inclined shelves` facing the ascending side of the air-circulator and made adjustable toward and from the same, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, with the inclosing case and an endless air-circulator arranged Within the same, of guard plates or shields arranged along the descending side of the air-circulator, substantially as set forth.

S. The combination, With the inclosing case and the endless traveling belt or apron arranged vertically1 Within the saine, of an inlet for the material to be separated, inclined shelves facing the ascending side of the belt, an outlet for the heavy material below said shelves, an outlet for lighter material communicating with the spaces between the shelves, and a settling-chamber for the lightest material, arranged opposite the descending side of the belt, substantially as set forth.

fitness my hand this 1st day of April, 1891.

AUGUST I'IEINE. lVitnesses:

S. NEWTON, JOE NAGLE. 

